Jase
.224 member
Reged: 01/11/04
Posts: 8
Loc: Sydney, Australia
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Whats the minimum calibre you would recommend for leopard?.....I am planning my dream hunt for a few years from now and would like to sort out my rifle choice so as to get many years of practice on local game first...
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cheers
Jase
Edited by Jase (02/11/04 07:13 PM)
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Marrakai
.416 member
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3737
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
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Never hunted leopard, but from what I've read the industry seems to recommend 7mm Rem Mag through .300 Win Mag. Maybe up to the .375 on a one-gun safari.
Of far greater importance is the scope. Leopard are usually taken at last light, so high quality optics are far more crucial than calibre.
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Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
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www.marrakai-adventure.com.au
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shakari
.400 member
Reged: 09/02/03
Posts: 1107
Loc: South Africa
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Any .30 calibre (ish) will be fine for a Leopard, but the most important thing is to use the correct bullet design. I'd recommend Winchester silvertip in 180 grain or if you can't get those you should look for another fast expanding bullet. Another good choice would be one of the Stewart bullets.
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Steve "Shakari" Robinson
Kuduland Safaris (Africa) Ltd
info@kuduland.com
www.kuduland.com
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GeorgeS
.275 member
Reged: 30/01/03
Posts: 51
Loc: Metro NYC
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.30-06 or its equivalent on up through .375H&H. You cannot kill a leopard too well.
George
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"Shoot straight, shoot often, but by all means, use enough gun!"
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Will
.333 member
Reged: 04/02/03
Posts: 303
Loc: Kansas
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.375 H&H, with 300 gr. Nosler Partitions, or preferrably 300 gr. Swift A-Frames for the possible raking shot.
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_________________________________________________
Bill Stewart
Once you have been amongst them, there is no such thing as too much gun.
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40713
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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Jase
You are aware you can not import a leopard trophy back into Australia?
Wouldn't stop me hunting them though, if given a chance.
I would use my .375 over my .30-06 but would use either if needed. Haven't shot a leopard but have tracked them a couple of times when the trackers have found fresh tracks. When plains game hunting. I always get a feeling before they find the leopard tracks which is funny. Get that feeling sometimes without any tracks being spotted but so far always when they are.
Lion trophies can be imported with the appropriate CITES documentation, so maybe you will need that .375 sooner(?) 
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John aka NitroX
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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member
Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....
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Any 30 caliber on up, with a quick expanding bullet like the Nosler Partition or even the Ballistic Tip. Most P.H.s I've spoken with don't like a controlled expansion, solidly constructed bullet along the lines of the A-Frames. They prefer a bullet that is going to generate maximum shock on the spotted kitty. Also, a scope that has excellent light gathering ability is a pre-requisite!
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Safarischorsch
.275 member
Reged: 28/02/04
Posts: 98
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8x68S 196 gr. CDP-bullet should work fine.
8x68S with Partitions or Brenneke TOG should do that job too.
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NE450No2
.375 member
Reged: 10/01/03
Posts: 942
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I hunted leopard this June in Zim [ I did not get a shot at one  ] with what I think is the best all round rifle for lion, leopard or black bear over bait. I used my Chapuis 9,3x74R double with a 1.5x6 Swarovski, illuminated circle dot reticle. I have taken quite a bit of game with this rifle and recommend it highly.
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470Nitro
.333 member
Reged: 17/09/03
Posts: 467
Loc: Madrid - Spain
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I'd hunted leopards with a 22-250, a 7 mm RM and a .416 Rem. Sure the 22-250 is too small and the effect with the two other was identical.
As others said before, any .30 plus is enough.
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down by the river on a friday night
pyramid of cans in the pale moonlight
talkin' 'bout guns and dreamin 'bout women
never had a plan just a livin' for the minute
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atkinson6
.375 member
Reged: 26/01/04
Posts: 678
Loc: Idaho
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In most cases a 9.3 or 375 is minimum legal, so that settles that. they certainly work...
As to the perfect Leopard caliber, I would opt for a .270 with a 130 gr. Nosler or a 30-06 with a 150 gr. Nosler...Any good deer caliber is a Leopard rifle.....The Leopard is a pretty fragil animal with small bones and thin skin, thus light fast bullets tend to kill them very quickly, but wounded be becomes a thrashing machine.
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vapodog
.300 member
Reged: 28/12/04
Posts: 237
Loc: Nebraska USA
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It's always a pleasure to hear the replys of those that have "been there and done that"...bearing in mind that it's been said that Will uses sixteen pound fly swatters in his home in Kansas.
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Spring
.300 member
Reged: 01/04/04
Posts: 104
Loc: Georgia
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Ray,
If "a 375 is minimum legal", under what curcumstances would you be able to use the .270 that you mentioned?
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Will
.333 member
Reged: 04/02/03
Posts: 303
Loc: Kansas
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Not to put words in Ray's mouth, but if one was ona plainsgame and leopard hunt, and just happen to have the plaingame rifle (.270) in the blind, who's to know.
On the other hand, I give little faith in using little guns. The fact that little guns can kill leopards is true without doubt, but better to be sure. If a broadside shot happens to turn into a rearend shot on a fleeing leopard, as the trigger lets go, better to have the .375.
Last I checked the trophy fee for leopard was pretty steep. I don't want to pull a "Corbett" and shoot and wound cats with a puny 7x57 or anything else in that class.
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_________________________________________________
Bill Stewart
Once you have been amongst them, there is no such thing as too much gun.
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4seventy
Sponsor
Reged: 07/05/03
Posts: 2210
Loc: Queensland Australia
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In reply to:
On the other hand, I give little faith in using little guns. The fact that little guns can kill leopards is true without doubt, but better to be sure. If a broadside shot happens to turn into a rearend shot on a fleeing leopard, as the trigger lets go, better to have the .375.
True enough!
It is the same with a lot of hunting.
You never really know what sort of situation might develop and I like to be gunned for the "worst" rather than the "ideal" hunting conditions.
Never hunted leopard though.
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40713
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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In reply to:
In most cases a 9.3 or 375 is minimum legal, so that settles that. they certainly work...
Ray
I thought the minimum for leopard is usually around the .270 and 7mmm mark?
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John aka NitroX
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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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luv2safari
.400 member
Reged: 09/11/03
Posts: 1413
Loc: United States
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Ray,
How about a drilling in 9.3x74R and two barrels of 00 Buck?
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Hunt with Class and Classics
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NE450No2
.375 member
Reged: 10/01/03
Posts: 942
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luv2safari
If your drilling has a good scope I think you drilling would be a good choice. I would put 00 buck in the right SGN bbl and whatever Slug shot best in the left, but that is just me. I would remove the scope if a follow up into brush was necessary.
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40713
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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I was reading Heminway where he suggested using small bird shot in his side by side shotgun for leopard follow-up. 
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John aka NitroX
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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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luv2safari
.400 member
Reged: 09/11/03
Posts: 1413
Loc: United States
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Nitro,
It is obvoius to anyone with half a brain that Hemingway was right!  You shoot a whole shit-full of birds in front of the charging leopard, so he'll stop to eat, thus giving you the opportunity to sneak away...this only works for those of us with half a brain, however. 
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Hunt with Class and Classics
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AdamTayler
.375 member
Reged: 22/03/04
Posts: 688
Loc: B.C.
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If it was "True at First Light" then it was a pump. "Ngui had been loading the Winchester 12-guage pump with SSG, which is buckshot in English. We had never shot anything with SSG and I did not want any jams so I tripped the ejector and filled it with No. 8 birdshot cartridges fresh out of the box and filled my pockets with the rest of the cartidges. At close range a charge of fine shot from a full-choked shotgun is as solid as a ball and I remember seeing the effect on a human body with the small hole blue black around the edge on the back of the leather jacket and all the load inside the chest."
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It's the journey, not the destination.
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luv2safari
.400 member
Reged: 09/11/03
Posts: 1413
Loc: United States
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No. 2,
A 12/12x9,3x74R with a 3x12x56 Docter Optics in claws. I think it was about ideal as a leopard gun.
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Hunt with Class and Classics
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40713
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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Adam
Yes that was it. 
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John aka NitroX
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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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cr500
.300 member
Reged: 11/10/03
Posts: 217
Loc: Singleton ,Australia
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NitroX. What is the deal with not being able to import Leopard trophies? Is their and paperwork or anything you can get to allow it? My first hunting trip to Africa was going to be namibia and the only dangerous game was to be Leopard? Cant we bring the trophy in to OZ?
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